How Annunciation Heights Is Changing Kids’ Lives in the Rocky Mountains
- André Escaleira, Jr.
- 1 hour ago
- 3 min read
At this Catholic camp, young people discover friendship, adventure and life-changing encounters with God beneath the shadow of Longs Peak.
Lives are being changed and souls are being saved in the Rocky Mountains, at a beautiful Catholic camp nestled at the base of Longs Peak.
Annunciation Heights, the archdiocesan camp, welcomes hundreds of youth, young adults and families throughout the year — especially each summer — and aims to bring them into “transformative encounter with Jesus Christ so that those we serve may live life fully for the glory of the Father,” as its mission statement reads.
A lofty mission, the camp brings its campers to the heights “by fostering experiences of authentic connection immersed in the beauty of God’s creation,” the camp’s mission statement explains.
Transformative for Campers
But the proof is in the pudding, as the saying goes, and there’s no shortage of snack foods or glory stories at Annunciation Heights.
“I wouldn’t change anything about this camp. This year will be my third year doing the solo camp, and every single time I love how it is,” one camper said.
When asked what the camper would most remember, their answer was as clear as it was moving: “I’ll most remember the moment when I fully gave myself over to God, because it was a big choice I’d been struggling to make.”
Moved by Eucharistic Adoration — “because I feel like God and I really connected and he spoke to me!” — and the community, this camper “will remember that I am never really alone and that God is always with me, even if I can’t hear or see him. This will give me comfort.”
Parents Notice A Difference
For one parent, the transformation in her son was overwhelming. When he came back from camp, he couldn’t help but gush about his experience, even tearing up when sharing it with other campers, counselors and Jesus himself.
“Without a doubt, Annunciation Heights has made a lasting impact on his life and on his faith,” his mom shared. “I don’t know what I was expecting when we signed him up for camp. I knew some friends of ours were going, and we thought it would be ‘good for him.’”
With the fun, beauty and clear care the camp showed her son, she knew things would be alright. But what made the difference, this mom said, was the spiritual quality.
“An outdoor camp is pretty fun, but what made this camp exceptional was the spiritual growth my son experienced,” she said, recalling her son’s experience in Eucharistic Adoration, when he read a letter from his parents in front of Jesus Christ, present Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity in the Eucharist before him. “He said when he read those letters and listened to that song, he realized that he had great parents. And his behavior since camp has reflected that mindset shift!”
Her son’s week at Annunciation Heights was “one of those childhood experiences that is rich beyond the treasures of this world,” she shared. “It was a no-brainer to sign him up again next year. How can we ever thank Annunciation Heights enough for fostering such a powerful week for these boys? Their generosity to give their time and hearts is such a gift from Heaven.”
A Summer to Remember
Put simply, another mother of two campers shared, “Annunciation Heights camps are a life-changing experience, and I wish and pray that more and more kids can live it!”
Through real community, new friendships, adventurous fun and a whole lot of natural beauty in the Rocky Mountains, Annunciation Heights helps young people go to the heights, encountering God, themselves, others and creation in a whole new way. And that sort of experience doesn’t leave them unchanged.
Summer 2026 youth camps are still accepting registrations for a summer to remember, and interested families can learn more here. Sign up today!
